This catalog is a resource document containing
information about program requirements
and other college policies for which a student
is ultimately responsible. It also contains
information about the academic, student and
community services the college offers.

This section defines many college terms that
will help a student gain a full understanding
of the information within the catalog.

Academic Dismissal: A student who is dismissed
is no longer matriculated and, in
addition, may not register for any credit
courses at the college for one full term. Refer
to Policies and Procedures.

Academic Probation: A student will be placed
on academic probation at the end of a term in
which the student’s grade point average falls
below that which is required according to the
Retention Table. Refer to Policies and Procedures.

Academic Suspension: Academic suspension
is the removal of a student from a
matriculated status in a program. Refer to Policies and Procedures.

Articulation Agreement: A formal agreement
between Hudson Valley Community
College and a baccalaureate degree-granting
institution. These agreements are established
for specific academic programs and ensure
transfer with junior standing upon completion
of appropriate coursework and achievement of a minimum grade average.

Associate’s Degree: A title conferred on a student
signifying completion of a two-year program
comprised of 60 or more credits. For
additional information, refer to Policies and Procedures.

Attendance: Attendance in class is necessary
for successful completion of a course of study.
To understand the college’s policy on attendance,
refer to Policies and Procedures.

Certificate: A document issued to a student
signifying completion of a specific series of
skill courses. A certificate program is one
year or less in length.

Change of Major: The process of changing a
student’s matriculation in one program to a
different program. To change majors, a student
must be in good academic standing, and
meet all prerequisites for the desired new
program. A student should initiate the
change by contacting his/her current academic
advisor.

Contact Hours: The total hours of class and
lab required per week in a course.

Continuing Education: The Office of
Continuing Education is designed to offer
students a viable and flexible alternative to
the traditional full-time college degree.
Advisors are available to assist with the selection
of courses.

Corequisite: Any course which must be
taken during the same term as the course that
specifies the corequisite.

Course Description: Course description(s)
tell students what is taught in the course,
what the objectives are, and what they should
be able to do upon completion. It also
describes the required classroom hours, lab
hours, clinic or co-op hours, credit hours, and
indicates if a prerequisite/corequisite is
needed.

Course Load Status: Regardless of matriculation
status, a student who carries 12 or more
credits during the Fall or Spring term is considered
a full-time student. Anything less
than 12 credits is part-time.

Course Withdrawal: If a student is unable to
complete a course, for whatever reason, the
student must withdraw from the course or
risk receiving a grade of “F” for the course.
For withdrawal procedures, refer to Policies and Procedures.

Credit: A unit of academic award applicable
toward a degree, measured in term hours.

Drop/Add: The procedure whereby a student
may change his/her class schedule, after initial
registration, by dropping or adding a
course without academic penalty.

Elective Course: A major requirement which
a student may choose to take from a number
of possible courses, as distinguished from
specific required courses.

Enrolled Student: An enrolled student is one
who has completed the registration process
and whose specific classes have begun.

Full-Time Student: A student enrolled for 12
or more credits per term. Note:Full-time status
for New York State scholarships is determined
by enrollment in 12 or more degree applicable
hours. A course in which a grade of “D” or better
was previously earned is not counted toward the
12-hour full-time study requirement.

General Education Coursework: Courses
which represent the common areas of knowledge
and skills that pertain to educated persons
and those which offer a coherent and
broadly comprehensive academic foundation.

Good Academic Standing: The status of a
student who has met or exceeded the requirements
specified in Policies and Procedures. A
student must be in good academic standing
to be eligible for veterans’ benefits, intercollegiate
athletics, the Student Senate and other
campus activities.

Grade Point Index: The numerical average
based on the credit hours attempted and
grades earned for courses taken at Hudson
Valley Community College. At the close of
each term, a separate index is calculated to
indicate the term, and cumulative average.

Humanities Elective: Courses from those
branches of knowledge which are concerned
with the human race and its culture.

In-State Resident: A legal resident of New
York State for a minimum of one calendar
year.

Liberal Arts and Science Coursework: Courses which are intended to provide
chiefly general knowledge and to develop
students’ general intellectual capacities.

Major: A set of courses which awards a certificate
or associate’s degree with a purpose
such as preparing a student to enter the
workforce immediately or to transfer to a
degree program at another college.

Matriculated Student: A matriculated student
has been accepted for admission to the
college, has registered in a major and is pursuing
courses toward a degree or certificate.

Mid-Term Grades: Mid-term grades are
indicators of a student’s progress. Mid-term
grades are not recorded on official transcripts,
but they may be used to determine
the eligibility of a student to continue participation
in intercollegiate sports or student
activities.

Non-Degree Courses: A course that is not
applicable toward a degree and is designated “ND” in the course description. ND units
indicate the number of hours for which a student
is charged tuition and the number of
hours counted toward course load status.

Non-Matriculated Student: A non-matriculated
student is one who has not yet been
accepted for admission to the college, has lost
matriculated status by not enrolling in
coursework for one term, or has been suspended
from a program because of failure to
maintain good academic standing. Courses
taken by a non-matriculated student may
later count toward a degree, however, the
student will not be eligible for financial aid.

Out-of-State Residents: Legal resident of a
state other than New York, or of a foreign
country.

Part-Time Student: A student enrolled for
fewer than 12 credits per term.

Prerequisite: A course that a student must
successfully complete for background information
before enrolling in a particular
course. For example, Nursing II has a prerequisite
of Nursing I.

Program: (see Major).

Registered Student: A registered student is
one who has scheduled classes. A student
who registers but does not complete the payment
process will not be granted credit,
regardless of class attendance. A student is
considered enrolled once their specific classes
have begun.

Restricted Elective: Major requirements
which may be chosen from a group of courses
specifically identified for that major.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): The
status of a student who has met or exceeded
both the qualitative and quantitative measurements
specified in the Financial Aid section. A student must meet the
Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
to be eligible for financial aid.

Total Withdrawal: The procedure whereby a
student may withdraw from all coursework.
The withdrawal process must be completed
at the Registrar’s Office, Guenther
Enrollment Services Center, by the deadlines
published each term.

Transcript (student record): A student’s official
academic record maintained by the
Registrar’s Office. It shows all academic
work attempted and grades earned, as well
as transfer credits accepted from other
schools.

Transfer Credit: Credit from coursework
taken at a previous institution which is
accepted toward a degree requirement at
Hudson Valley Community College. Transfer
credit is posted to the transcript of matriculated
students only.